Secretary of U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Satellite Media Tour

Our nation’s military members often make the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. The harsh realities of war are real, which is why it’s important that surviving members of the armed forces get the help they need to ensure a smooth transition back to civilian life. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is dedicated to improving health care for millions of veterans. In time for Veterans Day, the VA engaged Lyons PR to help solidify its reputation among veterans as the most trusted and the premier provider for their services and benefits.

Client

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Topic

Helping Veterans via MyVa

Spokespersons

Robert McDonald, Secretary of the Veterans Affairs
Sloan Gibson, Deputy Secretary of the Veterans Affairs

Project

Our nation’s military members often make the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. The harsh realities of war are real, which is why it’s important that surviving members of the armed forces get the help they need to ensure a smooth transition back to civilian life. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is dedicated to improving health care for millions of veterans. In time for Veterans Day, the VA enlisted us to help solidify its reputation among veterans as the most trusted and the premier provider for their services and benefits.

Strategy

We planned a two-day satellite media tour leading up to Veterans Day, a time when many Americans pause to celebrate those who have served in the U.S. military – also a time when there is heightened attention around the issues impacting veterans. We booked nearly three dozen live and taped television and radio interviews for VA Secretary Robert McDonald and VA Deputy Secretary Sloan Gibson, which we conducted out of the U.S. Veteran Affairs headquarters in Washington, D.C. In our media pitching of the satellite media tour, we specifically targeted outlets in regions with high veteran populations. We also helped develop talking points for VA leadership, highlighting the administration’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to medical services and benefits, as well as the latest advancements for MyVA, an initiative aimed at making sure veterans know that through the VA they are getting exceptional customer service that’s easy, consistent, and memorable.

Results

Strategic press hits directly impacted the VA’s reputation among existing veterans and active service members and those with close ties to the military community. The interviews with Secretary McDonald and Deputy Secretary Gibson were seen and heard across the nation resulting in an estimated 3 million gross impressions.